No Room for Love
by anica891
Summary: What if Peeta and Katniss weren't the first "star crossed lovers" to be a part of the Hunger Games? The story takes place during the 20th Annual Hunger Games were district 9's tributes struggle to keep each other alive. But the Gamemakers are having none of that. There can only be one victor.


Chosen

Nobody actually thinks they are going to be picked. They dread it and have nightmares about it, sure. But no one actually thinks it is going to be them; until it is. As I hear my name echo across the silent courtyard I think about that. About how I didn't actually think I would be picked out of the hundreds of names in that bowl. Why did it have to be mine?

I feel people nudging me as the capital representative clears her throat and says my name again; searching for me. "Jaclyn Harris? Where are you dear? Come on up." I am numb. The other girls around me start shoving me toward the front. I let the crowd move me to where I should be.

All I can think about is how this happened. How after 5 years of making it through, this had to be the year I was picked? Like I said, everyone dreads it but no one really thinks it will happen to them.

Finally I am shoved out of the crowd of girls in front of the large platform that was built in honor of this special occasion.

"Oh there you are darling!" The strange capital woman looks down at me. Her surgically enlarged eyes shine in the camera lights. "Come on up!"

I look at the stairs leading up to the stage and briefly think about running. At least that way my death will be quick. I sneak a peek at the guards standing around the courtyard. They all carry very impressive guns that are made to intimidate. They do their job well; I am officially intimidated. Turing back to the stage I start walking. Once I am up the stairs the woman claps her hands starting an unwilling applause in the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, District 9's woman victor, Jaclyn Harris!" She gestures toward me, showing me off. I look out into the crowd. I look to where my family stands. My mother seems to be on the verge of collapsing, only standing because my father and my older brother are holding her up. She is crying. My father catches my eye only for a moment till he looks away, unable to face me. He turns to look at my brother who starts whispering furiously at him. I wish I could hear what they are saying. I'm sure it is good because my father looks surprised.

But I can't, so I turn to find the only other person I want to see before I am taken away from my home to be put to death for sport. It takes me a while to find him in the crowd of boys, but I finally do. His face is red with anger but his eyes are full of sorrow. Morris. I try not to show any emotion as the cameras focus on me but I can't help a small tear escaping as I see him mouth the words "_I love you._"

Finally, the capital woman starts walking toward the bowl that holds the boys names. I don't know how she makes it over there in the shoes that she wears but she does. And with a flourish she takes out a single slip of paper holding an unlucky name.

She teeters back to the microphone and slowly unfolds the card. Taking a deep breath she says the only two words that can make this worse for me.

"Morris Banks."

My world falls from under me and I remember no more.

When I come to, I am lying on a soft couch. The walls around me are decorated with a deep blue wall paper that exudes luxury. I must be inside the town hall. It is only used for meeting with the head Peacekeeper and for when people from the Capital come to visit. And once a year it opens its doors for the new tributes, freshly picked, to say goodbye to their families.

"Oh good. You're awake." A cheerful voice next to me clips. "We are running late due to your dramatic show on that stage." I sit up and see the Capital woman sitting next to me on a plush easy chair. "Honestly." She huffs. "There was no need to faint the way you did. Now we have to cut short your goodbyes. We need to be on the train in 20 minutes." She pulls out an extravagant pocket watch from her waistcoat. Sweeping up daintily she walks to the door. "They may come in now." She says to someone outside the door. Turning back to me she looks at me disapprovingly. "You have ten minutes."

As she walks out, my family walks in. My mother instantly falls onto the couch I am seated on and collapses into my arms. She is sobbing so much she shakes me and the couch. I pat her back and look over her shoulder to see my dad and my brother standing awkwardly by the door. They have their hands in their pockets and both are looking at the carpet as if they are hoping it will reveal some way out of this The men in my family have never been big on emotions. But neither have I; that was something we let our mother handle.

We stay like this for a while till a peacekeeper opens the door to take me away. Before he can escort me out of the door, my father catches me in a hug. His wide arms wrap me up and for a moment I feel safe. Like when I was 5 and he would hold me after a bad dream or when I got hurt. "I love you Jaclyn."

The peacekeeper soon drags me from my father's arms and the last glimpse I have of my family before he shoves me out the back door is of my father stooping down the gather my mother and my brother staring daggers at the peacekeeper holding my arm with fist clenched.

The man leads me to a car which then takes me to the train that will take me to my death. I am escorted by two peacekeepers that sport handguns attached on their hips.

As soon as I get on the train I am surrounded by the arms that I want to spend the rest of my life in. I close my eyes and rest my head on his chest. His smell is so comforting and his embrace is warm. I feel his lips in my hair, kissing the top of my head.

As the train starts to move he whispers "I will get you out of this alive."


End file.
